Package agitator for increasing ice capacity



Jan. 26, 1965 E. c. LEMMOND PACKAGE AGITATOR FOR INCREASING ICE CAPACITY Filed Oct. 17, 1962 INVENTOR EVERETT C. LEM MON D 4 z b 1/ M r 4% W ATTORNEYS 3,167,304 PACKAGE AGITATOR FOR INCREASHNG ICE CAPACITY Everett C. Lemmond, Rte. 3, Sonnet-ville, Ala. Filed Oct. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 231,251 2 Claims. (Cl. 259-1) This invention relates to the preparation and handling of perishables of various kinds in a manner to maintain them in a particular state of preservation including during shipment, and to apparatus and equipment employed in such preparation and handling of commodities of various kinds including poultry, fish, and other products.

in a refrigerated area.

Perishables of various kinds including poultry, fish and other substances have been placed in a carton or package with crushed ice in an effort to provide adequate refrigeration or cooling during shipment or until such time as the contents of the package can be used or placed under refrigeration, but the amount of ice has not always been adequate and at times spoilage and loss of the prod not has occurred.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for increasing the amount of ice in crushed or small particle form placed in the package or container with perishable products sufiicient to provide the necessary refrigeration during transportation or from the time the product leaves the shipper until it is received. v

Another object of the invention is to provide an agitator by which spaces between poultry or other products shipped can be more completely filled with ice to provide additional refrigeration over that ordinarily provided thereby obtaining greater success and less loss in the shipment and delivery of comestibles and other perishable 7 products.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be I apparent from the following description taken in conjunc tion with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention including a table or support and a shaker or agitator;

FIG. 2, a horizontal section along the lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentary detail section through the rollers along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4, a horizontal section on the line 44 of FIG. 1 showing the motor drive;

FIG. 5, a perspective of the eccentricity adjustment;

FIG. 6, an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the connection through the table; and

FIG. 7, a vertical section on line 77 of FIG. 5.

Briefly stated the invention is a support for packages, boxes, cartons or the like, in which poultry or other perishable products are shipped, and in which ice is added to and distributed throughout the mass of the product within the container. The support includes a platform having rollers to facilitate the movement of a box, carton or the like container of a perishable product to which ice is to be added, such platform being of generally rectangular form, centrally and transversely supported, for oscillatory motion, upon a table or other base, the upper surface of the latter of which is inclined from such transverse central support, so that when ice is discharged into the box or carton with the perishable material to be refrig-erated, any ice which does not go into the container United States Patent 3,l67,3@ i Patented Jan. 26, 1965 will not accumulate on the table sufficiently to interfere with the agitation of the package or container. In order to produce agitation or vibration of the platform a motor and an eccentric are employed with means whereby the amount of agitation or vibration can be varied or adjusted to suit.

With continued reference to the drawing aplaitform frame 143 is provided of a generally rectangular configuration in which a plurality of spaced rollers 11 are mounted on transverse shafts 12. The ends of the shafts are located in openings 13 in the frame 10 and a series of spacing sleeves 14 are located between the rollers to maintain them in proper relation.

If desired the frame may have a reinforcing center brace10' provided with openings 13' in which the shafts 12 are received.

In order to prevent the shaft 12 from endwise movement a retainer bar 15 is disposed on the exterior of each side member of the frame, such bar being secured in place by bolts or other fasteners 1s.

The platform or support formed by the frame 14} with the rollers 11 incorporated on shafts 12 is adapted to receive boxes, cartons, or other containers with perishable matter therein to which ice in crushed or lump form is adapted to be added to provide the necessary refrigeration or cooling effect throughout transportation and delivery of the container. 7

Ice may be supplied in any desired manner and during which time according to the present invention the container is adapted to be agitated or vibrated to cause a more intimate association or compacting of the perishable substance and the ice, to give an added margin of preservation to the product.

In order to provide agitation or vibration the frame and associated rollers and shafts are supported by spaced brackets 17, secured by fasteners 18, to the frame and mounted on spaced pivots 19 midway between the ends of the frame for balance and to require minimum effort in the oscillation or agitation of the package supported.

The pivots 19 are mounted at opposite sides and across the center of a supporting tab-1e having an impervious top shield member having surfaces 20 and 21 inclined downwardly from the pivot 19 area and extending the length and width of the table, in order that ice which does not find its way into the container and falling onto the inclined surfaces 20 and 21 of the table, will not accumulate sufiiciently to interfere with the operation of the device.

The .table is provided with legs 22 and a horizontal rigidly mounted platform 23 attached thereto and on which a motor 24 is adapted to be supported for producing oscillation or agitation of the platform and supported container.

In order to provide a drive between the support frame for a container to be shaken and the motor, the motor shaft 25 has fixed thereon a pulley 26 which drives a belt 27 around a larger pulley 28 mounted on a shaft 29. The shaft 29 is mounted in a bearing on a cross member 31 supported at one end on side bars 32 attached to the legs 22 of the frame and at the other end on platform 23. Drive by the shaft 29 is transmitted through an adjustable connection including a generally rectangular plate 33 rigidly attached to said shaft and extending across its end at right angles thereto.

This plate has side bars or rails 34 against which there is adapted to be fastened a plate 35 in which is mounted a nut and bolt which form a shaft 36. A bearing 37 is interposed between the shaft and the plate 35 and around the shaft 36 is disposed a sleeve 38 fixed to a connecting rod 3? which extends through an aperture in the inclined surface 20 at one end of the table as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The connecting rod 39 has a bearing sleeve 40 {receipt of bolts and nuts 43 which are adapted to be adgjustably received incorner slots-44 parallelto the side" rails 34 The slots 44 permit adjustment of the shaft forming bolt3 6 eccentrical1y relative to the shaft 29 driven by themotor, and the degree of the eccentricity of the 'determines themovement and f V aging and interferinggwiththeoperation of the machine.

2 A macliine for guidinglyreceiving-a containerof poultry mixed withice. andflof a construction by which wibr'a t ion of the platform.

*It will be readily understood 7 that a simple,practical, low-cost agitatoris provided by means of which a greater p the intermediate "4 thereof beneath said, platform saidimpervious top surface shielding vmemberi being 3 inclined downwardly in opposite oblique, planes to adjacent the opposite ends of said table fr'om an elevation located above the pivotal mounting of said platform whereby when said platform a is pivotally agitated any ice chips or the like spilled onto I'said platform will fall freely between said spaced plat- I form irollers onto' said oppositely inclined table top density may'betobt-ained within a" package or container :f without additional labor and in effect reducing the amount of labor required in'the'supplyingjof ice. to thecontainer initially in'that all'the 'empty'spac'es are entirely filled.

are supported on frame 10 in vertically ispace'dlrelation thereto'by means of bracketslfl.

If desired; removable ice excluding side walls or shields 1 48 maybe provided which can bensecurc-z'din placeto the sides offthe tableat 49, and brackets 59 may be provided for the attachment of delivery'and discharge conveyors at the ends thereof for incorporationinta conveyor system.

member so as to be enabled to slide therefrom under the action of gravityto' effectively prevent such spillage damfashaking actionfmay' beimparted to the iced poultry to obtain greater compactness and consequently greater con tainer icejcapacity, said machine comprising a support i structure 1 havin g 'meansithereon for correlating it within a conveyor system, generally plane -platforinhaving parallel side's positioned above said support structure;

,g'me'ans"disposedsubstantially=midway the length of said platform providing pivotal Isup port therefor on, said sup- '.port structure about an axis spaced-from the plane of "said platform, said platform comprising an opentframe (structure, means fpivotally mlo'unting'series of" relatively lt will be obvious to those skilledjin the artthat various 'tf 'changesmay be madein the inventionf ivithout departing j fromthespirit'and scope thereof and therefore the in'vention is not limited by that whieh is illustrated in" the drawings and-described in the specification,. but only as in-- 'dicated'in the accompanying claims.

What 'isclaimed is;

1. A food container agitator machine' adapted foruse 7 in apackage conveyors'ystem for g'uidi'ngly receiving containers of'poultry or the like arid/of acons truction'byu which a shaking action of adjustable intensity may begim it parted to the containers for effecting increased iceechip.

container l volume throughx compaction effected by. such 40 shaking action, said machine comprising a supporting tablestructur'e having'means"thereonforicorrelating it v within a conveyor system, an elongated generally rearing; gular load-bearing platform.mountedffonj and above' sai'dsupportingftable structure in verticallysp'aced relation thereto for pivotal movement of :the platform about a horizontal axis approximately midway of the'length therea of, said axis extending transversely ofsaid tableand paral-l lelly spaced below said "platforrma motor Inounted below.

said platform and on said table for oscillating saidplatform, motor-driven linkage means offadjustably variable ,fgthe operation of the machine length connected to one end of said-pivoted; platformto effect controlled oscillatory shaking thereof, said plat- 7 form comprising'an open str'ucture' having afperipheral j frame, series of relativ ely widely spaced rollersrotatively mounted within 'saidi peripheralframe and in the plane iof-t said platform throughout the areathereof on transversely extending parallel axes thereby forming a platform spacial-roller load-bearing surface, platform guide rail memi bers mounted on said platform. in vertically spaced relationthereto; and along the parallel opposite sides of said 7 platform and adapted to prevent lateral displacement of containers on said platform while being subject to said controlled oscillatory shaking, said supporting table structure including a shielding impervious top surface 'member'thereon extending substantially the length and width wi'dely spaced; rollers throughout theentire tarea of said low said platform, motor-driven adjustable linkagemeans connected' to one end of said pivoted platform to effect f pivotalj'trscillation thereofrof'controlled intensity, an impervious top surface member on said supporting table extending' substantially the length and width, thereof beneath saidlopen platform; said imperyioustop surface member being inclined downwardly in opposite obliqueplanesto adjacent tl1e-.-edges thereof from an elevation located above theimid-piyotal mountingof saidtopeni platform whereby when said open platformisv pivotally oscillated any ice or thfelike spilled onto said, platform willlfall neuyi between said relatively widely 'spaced xplatform roll- ;jers onto said oppositely, inclined, tabletop member so as v fto beenabledjoj slide therefrom by the action of gravity 'to effectively prevent such spillage from 5 interfering with 7 Leo QUACK NBUSH, Y Examiner. 

1. A FOOD CONTAINER AGITATOR MACHINE ADAPTED FOR USE IN A PACKAGE CONVEYOR SYSTEM FOR GUIDINGLY RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF POULTRY OR THE LIKE AND OF A CONSTRUCTION BY WHICH A SHAKING ACTION ADJUSTABLE INTENSITY MAY BE IMPARTED TO THE CONTAINERS FOR EFFECTING INCREASED ICE CHIP CONTAINER VOLUME THROUGH COMPACTION EFFECTED BY SUCH SHAKING ACTION, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING TABLE STRUCTURE HAVING MEANS THEREON FOR CORRELATING IT WITHIN A CONVEYOR SYSTEM, AN ELONGATED GENERALLY RECTANGULAR LOAD-BEARING PLATFORM MOUNTED ON AND ABOVE SAID SUPPORTING TABLE STRUCTURE IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION THERETO FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE PLATFORM ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY OF THE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID TABLE AND PARALLELLY SPACED BELOW SAID PLATFORM, A MOTOR MOUNTED BELOW SAID PLATFORM AND ON SAID TABLE FOR OSCILLATING SAID PLATFORM, MOTOR-DRIVEN LINKAGE MEANS OF ADJUSTABLY VARIABLE LENGTH CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID PIVOTED PLATFORM TO EFFECT CONTROLLED OSCILLATORY SHAKING THEREOF, SAID PLATFORM COMPRISING AN OPEN STRUCTURE HAVING A PERIPHERAL FRAME, SERIES OF RELATIVELY WIDELY SPACED ROLLERS ROTATIVELY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID PHERIPHERAL FRAME AND IN THE PLANE OF SAID PLATFORM THROUGHOUT THE AREA THEREOF ON TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PARALLEL AXES THEREBY FORMING A PLATFORM SPACIAL-ROLLER LOAD-BEARING SURFACE, PLATFORM GUIDE RAIL MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION THERETO AND ALONG THE PARALLEL OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PLATFORM AND ADAPTED TO PREVENT LATERIAL DISPLACEMENT OF CONTAINERS ON SAID PLATFORM WHILE BEING SUBJECT TO SAID CONTROLLED OSCILLATORY SHAKING, SAID SUPPORTING TABLE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A SHIELDING IMPERVIOUS TOP SURFACE MEMBER THEREON EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH AND WIDTH THEREOF BEANEATH SAID PLATFORM, SAID IMPERVIOUS TOP SURFACE SHIELDING MEMBER BEING INCLINED DOWNWARDLY IN OPPOSITE OBLIQUE PLANES TO ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID TABLE FROM AN ELEVATION LOCATED ABOVE THE PIVOTAL MOUNTING OF SAID PLATFORM WHEREBY WHEN SAID PLATFORM IS PIVOTALLY AGITATED ANY ICE CHIPS OR THE LIKE SPILLED ONTO SAID PLATFORM WILL FALL FREELY BETWEEN SAID SPACED PLATFORM ROLLERS ONTO SAID OPPOSITELY INCLINED TABLE TOP MEMBER SO AS TO BE ENABLED TO SLIDE THEREFROM UNDER THE ACTION OF GRAVITY TO EFFECTIVELY PREVENT SUCH SPILLAGE DAMAGING AND INTERFERING WITH THE OPERATION OF THE MACHINE. 